Anyone ever been to Oktoberfest(Beerfest)in Germany.
I'm flying over on Monday for work, and staying through Oct. 7, the day it ends.(I know, what are the odds right)
Just wondering if anyone knew much about, it, or the country, cause I don't.

HonestChieffan

09-21-2007, 12:18 PM

Lots and lots and lots of beer and people speaking German

beach tribe

09-21-2007, 12:21 PM

Lots and lots and lots of beer and people speaking German
Yea !! That's what I pictured in my Head. Lots and lots and lots of beer and women speaking German.

I'm going this year, but I've never been before so I don't really have any helpful hints.

Radar Chief

09-21-2007, 12:23 PM

I went once when I was stationed in Wurzburg in the late ‘80’s early ‘90’s.
I saw a show on Travel Channel about it one time and they have this whole parade and carnival atmosphere and I was like, “where the hell was that when I went?” All I saw was the inside of the Hofbrau tent and then I don’t remember much. ;)
My point is, make sure you check out the entire scene before stepping into a beer tent. After that time, and memory, can quickly slip away from you. :toast:

My brother spends lots of time there, get ready for warm beer cause thats what they serve, he says the beer over there is served in steins the size of a 5 gallon bucket. People drink it for breakfast , lunch and dinner so feel free to attend any business meetings wasted, they'll understand. Also it doesn't make you fat like the beer in the U.S. does.

ChiefaRoo

09-21-2007, 01:39 PM

My brother spends lots of time there, get ready for warm beer cause thats what they serve, he says the beer over there is served in steins the size of a 5 gallon bucket. People drink it for breakfast , lunch and dinner so feel free to attend any business meetings wasted, they'll understand. Also it doesn't make you fat like the beer in the U.S. does.

German beer is excellent.

Radar Chief

09-21-2007, 01:46 PM

My brother spends lots of time there, get ready for warm beer cause thats what they serve,

Well, room temperature, but they’re certainly not frosty like we like it over here.

he says the beer over there is served in steins the size of a 5 gallon bucket.

Not quite that big but they are a hand full.

People drink it for breakfast , lunch and dinner so feel free to attend any business meetings wasted, they'll understand.

At one time but they don’t have “beer breaks” in the middle of the work day anymore, nor do they serve beer out of vending machines. And the people have a very low tolerance for DUI so I doubt they’d be fine with showing up to work wasted.

Also it doesn't make you fat like the beer in the U.S. does.

Now that is just a load of :BS:. First thing that happened to me when I arrived in Germany was to gain 20# from all the Hefe-Wizen I was drinking.

ChiefaRoo

09-21-2007, 01:55 PM

Well, room temperature, but they’re certainly not frosty like we like it over here.

Not quite that big but they are a hand full.

At one time but they don’t have “beer breaks” in the middle of the work day anymore, nor do they serve beer out of vending machines. And the people have a very low tolerance for DUI so I doubt they’d be fine with showing up to work wasted.

Now that is just a load of :BS:. First thing that happened to me when I arrived in Germany was to gain 20# from all the Hefe-Wizen I was drinking.

One thing I realized about Euro beer is that if you drink a 3 or 4 beers you don't wake up the next day with any form of hangover or cloudy thinking. I asked a guy in London who owned his own pub why that was and he told me it was because all of the brew he uses is local and sent directly to the pub where it is put in the basement and then drank immediately. He said US beer has a lot of preservatives that allow it to be shipped long distances and stored for a long time before it spoils wheras Euro beer is produced and consumed quickly before it can go bad therefore eliminating the preservatives that reduce the taste and add to any kind of hangover.
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MahiMike

09-21-2007, 02:17 PM

You'll have a blast. Visit Munchener Freiheit area, hofbrauhaus and get into the singing w/the locals. Once you drink 2 beers, your german is almost perfect.

The beer is not warm, it's outside room temp - which is plenty cold enough that time of year.

ROFL So true. Particularly German beer is so much more flavorful, with such fantastic body and aroma it’ll put you off commercial American beer for a while.
The thing I really noticed was:
Commercial American beer at room temp = skunky.
German beer at room temp = same taste as when it’s chilled.

I’ve had many a hangover from German beer, so I wouldn’t agree that it doesn’t affect you, but it doesn’t leave me completely dehydrated the way commercial American beer does.

Radar Chief

09-21-2007, 02:34 PM

The mugs are 1 liter, FWIW.

The alch content is higher than it is here too.

If you get real brave, try a Doppelbock. It’s a twice-fermented bock beer that is very strong. Swirling a mug of it under my nose I could smell the alcohol in it, like someone poured in a pint of Vodka.

ChiefaRoo

09-21-2007, 02:48 PM

ROFL So true. Particularly German beer is so much more flavorful, with such fantastic body and aroma it’ll put you off commercial American beer for a while.
The thing I really noticed was:
Commercial American beer at room temp = skunky.
German beer at room temp = same taste as when it’s chilled.

I’ve had many a hangover from German beer, so I wouldn’t agree that it doesn’t affect you, but it doesn’t leave me completely dehydrated the way commercial American beer does.

I've had hangovers as well from drinking to much but not from just a few.

TrebMaxx

09-21-2007, 03:09 PM

Been there twice. Be sure to catch the parades they are pretty awesome. Like someone else said, in the beer tents which are more like a large warehouse make sure to jump right in with the locals. Do the silly bird dance and all the other things they are doing. All germans are required to take english in school but not all are very good at it but it is true after a few beers it is amazing how well you can communicate with them. Another thing, they are amazed with cowboys and the old west especially the older folks. Tell them you ride bulls in rodeos and you might get a few free beers.

KCChiefsMan

09-21-2007, 03:18 PM

I'm jealous! have fun and drink one for all of us! I went to some Octoberfest festival in choctaw, OK a couple weeks ago. Good beer good times, but it wouldn't compare to the real thing

88TG88

09-21-2007, 03:19 PM

DAS BOOOOOT !!!

Rooster

09-21-2007, 03:21 PM

:BLVD:

RealSNR

09-21-2007, 04:32 PM

Depends on where you go. I know in Hamburg the scene is quite a bit different than Munich (Muenchen). If you want the bigger party, you can't beat Muenchen for Oktoberfest

elvomito

09-21-2007, 06:05 PM

there's s show on HDNET called 3 sheets, a beer drinking show, and they are airing the oktoberfest episode. looks like a lot of fun
http://www.mojohd.com/mojoseries/threesheets/episodes/view/munich

SCTrojan

09-21-2007, 06:50 PM

If you are going to Munich, go to the beer gardens in the city - pretty much every beer maker has one, the most famous being the Hofbrau Haus. And of course hit all the beer tents at the fest.

Go see the Marienplatz and Karlsplatz where there is shopping, museums etc. I think you could also hit the BMW museum if you have the time. Public transpo is fairly easy to use and goes to most of the popular sites.

If you have a car, you can get out to Neuschwanstein, which is supposedly the castle after which Walt Disney modeled Cinderella's castle in Disneyland. Linderhof is also a cool castle and not as far.

Another thing that some people like is a tour of Dachau. That tends to be pretty depressing, although very interesting

Anyway, have fun and enjoy all the different beer. And unless things have changed since 2003, they serve it cold.